Acts Part IV, Acts 2:14-41
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The Book of Acts: The The global work of King Jesus through the Spirit in bringing the kingdom-of-God-good-news out to all families of the earth.
The Big Idea: How to Become a Christian and Why You Should Want To
Honest Questions & Mocking Accusations= Gospel Proclamations
Why?
Honest Questions & Mocking Accusations= Gospel Proclamations
Peter does two things here in verses 14-21 that show us two ways to help our neighbors want to become followers of Jesus:
To love our neighbors well, we must be answering the questions they are actually asking.
1. We must be answering the questions they are actually asking.
2. The gospel and its results must be presented so attractively that they are virtually compelled to say “It would be wonderful if that were true, but it can’t be!”
Some of the biggest objections to Christianity from my Facebook Question:
-The Bible is Divine (How can we take so literal an ancient book?)
-The feeling of being judged by hypocrites, seemingly nothing but rules
-Shady Christian history
-Science makes much more sense
-It’s shaming of women and homosexuals
-It’s exclusivity (in regards to who gets “in” to heaven and who doesn’t)
-Grace (it isn’t fair that a murderer could repent and go to heaven and a good person wouldn’t get in)
-Lots of Bible knowledge (OT for example, Abraham & Isaac story for example)
Second, Peter shows us how to become a Christian in verses 36-41.
4 Things to Become a Christian:
Mind, Grace, Heart, and Life
SLIDE OF POST-CHRISTENDOM CONVERSION
Becoming a Christian doesn’t sidestep the mind, it engages it, and calls it to change (repentance).
Our job is to help our neighbors know Jesus, God is in charge of whether or not they will love Jesus.
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is God’s answer to the human dilemma.
You don’t accept Jesus into your life, Jesus accepts you into His.
But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster.
Religious people are sad they broke the rules of God, repentant people are sad they broke the heart of God. One is outward modification, one is inward transformation.
Here’s how you become a Christian. Your mind must first be engaged with the real Jesus, then you must see that salvation is something given to you freely by grace in Christ, then you are cut you to the heart acknowledging your sin, which leads to giving your life to the One who already gave His life for you.
The “gifts” of the gospel include a new freedom, a new family, and a new power.